Ready-to-assemble container

ABSTRACT

Support portions  2  are provided at each of four corners of a top surface side of a square base portion of a ready-to-assemble container, and fitting portions that can be fitted with upper ends of support portions of another ready-to-assemble container and plural traveling wheels are provided at a reverse surface side of the base portion. Vertical support rods are detachably fitted to the support portions and cross rails are provided, each having respective ends thereof detachably fitted to adjacent vertical support rods apices and spanning between the apices. The ready-to-assemble container accommodates a refuse repository bag in the region defined by the base portion, the vertical support rods and the cross rails.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 USC 119(e) from the U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/123,109, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a container for collection of refuse such as industrial waste and, in particular, to a ready-to-assemble container that can internally accommodate a bag for refuse collection.

2. Description of the Related Art

Refuse such as industrial waste produced by construction sites and factories is initially collected at the location at which it is generated and the refuse is then transported to a disposal site (such as an incinerator or a landfill site) for processing. Specifically, refuse such as industrial waste is dumped and packed into a container placed near the site at which refuse is generated, and the container itself is transported by vehicle to the disposal site. After the refuse has been discarded, the emptied container is returned to the site of refuse generation and the process repeated (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 2002-337596 and 2003-321101 and the Kyoshin Seisakusho Co., Ltd. pamphlet, “Kyoshin's Detachable Containers”).

Here, there are cases when refuse is packed inside a container after being processed by a compression-shredding device. In particular, when a compression-shredding device is used, a considerable amount of work and a large workspace are required at the refuse generation site and, moreover, the devices are expensive and it is difficult to separate refuse according to kind, which are problematic issues.

Further, since a transport vehicle transports an emptied container as is, the cargo space of the vehicle at this time is, as it were, carrying air, which is extremely wasteful in economic terms. In addition, when a container is not in use, it must be left as is or stacked in pairs, which requires that empty space is secured for storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was made in view of such circumstances and provides an extremely convenient ready-to-assemble container which is collapsible and does not require a large amount of storage space when not in use.

A first aspect of the ready-to-assemble container of the present invention has a substantially square base portion, is provided with support portions at each of four corners of a top surface (upper surface) of the base portion, and is provided with fitting portions that can be fitted with upper ends of support portions of another ready-to-assemble container, and plural traveling wheels, at a reverse surface (lower surface) of the base portion. Vertical support rods are detachably fitted to the support portions, cross rails each having respective ends thereof detachably fitted to adjacent vertical support rod apices and spanning between the apices are provided, and a refuse repository bag can be accommodated in a region defined by the base portion, the vertical support rods and the cross rails.

This invention enables rational collection of industrial waste and the like by skilful combination of a refuse repository bag and a ready-to-assemble container. The actual operational process involves lifting a refuse repository bag filled with refuse such as industrial waste out of the container using a crane, loading the refuse repository bag onto a vehicle, and transporting it to a disposal site for disposal. Further, when the container is not needed, cross rails and support rods are removed in sequence and any number of the base portions of respective containers can be stacked by sequentially fitting support portions with fitting portions. This can be achieved even with extremely limited storage space, which is a significant effect. Of course, when such a container has been transported to a disposal site in an assembled state, it is not necessary to return the container in its assembled form, and the container may be collapsed and reduced in size, and transported in a stacked state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a lateral view of the container of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a top surface side of a base portion of the container of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a reverse surface side of a base portion of the container of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are views showing examples of attachment of a support rod to a support portion.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views showing examples of attachment of cross rails to a support rod apex.

FIG. 6 is a view showing the relationship between support portions and fitting portions provided above and below the base portions, and a view showing base portions stacked.

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C are views showing further examples of support portions and fitting portions.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a container and a refuse repository bag.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a means for preventing lateral bulging of a refuse repository bag.

FIG. 10 is a view showing a further example of a means for preventing lateral bulging of a refuse repository bag.

FIG. 11 is a view showing a state in which a refuse repository bag is accommodated within a container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An example of a known ready-to-assemble container is disclosed in JP-A No. 2007-191162. The ready-to-assemble container disclosed in this document consists of a base portion, side boards that form peripheral walls, support rods and a cover, with each member being formed from plastic, and was devised in consideration of ease of disposal of the container itself. This container is installed on a pallet that can be moved by a forklift truck, and is used for collection of refuse as is, and is for being loaded onto a vehicle by a forklift truck or the like and moved in an assembled state.

Accordingly, the container disclosed in JP-A No. 2007-191162 differs fundamentally from the container of the present invention, which is intended for the accommodation of a refuse repository bag within the container. Further, JP-A No. 2007-191162 neither teaches nor suggests stacking the bulky base portions for storage after disassembling the container, or reducing the storage space required for the container.

The present invention addresses the issue of having to secure sufficient space to store containers in that, as described above, for example, when a refuse repository bag is retrieved from within container A, container A is not deposited in its assembled state with a fixed volume but, rather, can be disassembled. Further, containers A according to the present invention have a configuration whereby base portions 1, which are the most voluminous portions thereof with respect to storage, can be stacked.

In the following, an exemplary embodiment is explained.

FIG. 1 is a lateral view of container A showing an example of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a view from the top (upper) surface side of base portion 1; and FIG. 3 is a view from the reverse (lower) surface side of base portion 1. In the drawings, 1 is a quadrate base portion with the four sides thereof formed by square pipes 1 a. Square pipes 1 b, similar to square pipes 1 a, are extended between opposing square pipes 1 a, 1 a, and plates 1 c are inserted between square pipes 1 a and square pipes 1 b. Plates 1 c are each provided with a traveling wheel 4. Square pipes 1 d are provided in a vertical direction at each corner of base portion 1, and a region protruding toward the upper side of base portion 1 (support portion 2) and a region protruding toward the lower side of base portion 1 (fitting portion 3) are formed at each of square pipes 1 d. The respective pipes and plates are all welded and integrated together. Fitting portion 3 has protrusion 3 a formed at the end thereof such that, as described in the following, when base portions 1 are stacked on top of each other, fitting portion 3 fits into hole 2 a at the top of support portion 2. Since the height (protrusion length) of fitting portion 3 is smaller than the height (vertical height) of traveling wheel 4, there is no impediment to the working of traveling wheels 4.

Base portion 1 is not limited to the preceding example and may, of course, be configured by various kinds of solid materials or plate materials that are not shown in the drawings. The respective materials may be made of metal or of plastic or of combinations thereof. Obviously, the dimensions of the respective members may be selected as appropriate.

Square pipe-shaped support rods 5, each having the same length, are attached to the respective support portions 2 and the container is completed by cross rails 6 that span between the apices of support rods 5, respective ends of each cross rail 6 being fitted to the apices of support rods 5. In this example, a hanger 9 is provided at each support rod 5 and a band 10 for fastening a refuse repository bag is provided.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are views showing examples of attachment of support rod 5 to support portion 2. FIG. 4A is an example of attachment in which support portion 2 is made pipe-shaped and provided with hole 2 a at the upper end thereof and support rod 5 is fitted inside hole 2 a. Although support rod 5 is a square pipe, attachment projection 5 b is attached to lower end hole 5 a, and projection 5 b is fitted inside hole 2 a of support portion 2. In FIG. 4 b, support rod 5 is a solid material, the lower end of which is fitted inside hole 2 a of support portion 2. In FIG. 4 c, support rod 5 is a square pipe and support portion 2 is fitted inside hole 5 b at the lower end thereof.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views showing the relationship between cross rails 6 and the apex of a square pipe-shaped support rod 5. FIG. 5A shows a configuration in which elbows 6 b, 6 b are integrally provided at either end of cross rails 6 by folding cross rail 6 or by welding, and elbows 6 b, 6 b are each detachably fitted into holes 5 c at the apex of support rods 5. FIG. 5B shows an embodiment in which holes 6 c are formed at either end of cross rails 6, and a projection 5 c at the apex of support rods 5 is fitted through the holes 6 c.

Container A of the present invention can form a given capacity by assembly of base portion 1, four support rods 5 and four cross rails 6, inside of which refuse collection bag 20 is fitted. When loading onto a vehicle, a crane holds handle portion 21 of refuse collection bag 20, pulls refuse collection bag 20 up out of container A and loads it on a vehicle.

Further, as regards collapsible storage of container A, cross rails 6 are first removed and then vertical support rods 5 are removed from support portions 2, whereby the respective members are disassembled.

After cross rails 6 and vertical support rods 5 are removed from base portion 1, since support portions 2 at the top side and fitting portions 3 at the reverse side of respective base portions 1 are formed in identical positions as shown in FIG. 6, when storing base portions 1, respective base portions 1 are successively fitted together and stacked, whereby base portions 1 can be stored in an extremely limited space.

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C are views showing further examples of base portion 1, support portions 2 and fitting portions 3 provided at a top surface and a reverse surface thereof. It will be evident that in each case support portions 2 and fitting portions 3 can be fitted together when base portions 1 are stacked. Support portion 2 can be either of a pipe or a solid material, while fitting portion 3 can be formed, for example, from a pipe, a solid material or a recess that can be fitted with support portion 2.

In FIG. 7A support portion 2 is pipe-shaped and fitting portion 3 is a solid body projection 3 a. In FIG. 7B, support portion 2 is solid body 2 b and fitting portion 3 is pipe-shaped. In FIG. 7C, support portion 2 is solid body 2 b and fitting portion 3 is a recess. Each of FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C is a drawing of both the respective base portions 1 and stacked states thereof. Further, as is evident from the drawings, it is necessary to ensure that the distance between base portions 1 of two stacked base portions 1 of containers A is larger than the height of traveling wheels 4 provided at the reverse side of base portion 1. Accordingly, the lengths of support portion 2 and fitting portion 3 are selected as appropriate.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view separately showing both container A and refuse repository bag 20 of the present invention. Refuse repository bag 20 is, for example, a hemp sack and is formed as a regular hexahedron, similarly to container A. Hanging handle portion 21 is provided and, in this example, cover 22 is also provided. When refuse is put into refuse repository bag 20 set in container A, refuse repository bag 20 naturally tends to bulge in a lateral direction. Accordingly, since it is conceivable in such a situation that refuse repository bag 20 would not come out of container A even when hooked and raised by a crane, there may be cases in which the following measures are necessary.

Accordingly, hooks 7 may be provided at vertical support rods 5 as shown in FIG. 9, which jut out prominently in a lateral direction from the middle of vertical support rods 5 so as to prevent lateral bulging of refuse repository bag 20, whereby bulging of refuse repository bag 20 in a lateral direction can be prevented. Further, it will be evident that hooks 7 may be used in place of hangers 9 and that bands 10 for fastening refuse repository bag 20 may be attached to hooks 7.

FIG. 10 shows a second means for the above purpose, that is, for preventing bulging of refuse repository bag 20 in a lateral direction inside container A. Namely, in this example, standing rails 8 are fixed between base portion 1 and cross rails 6 such that upper end 8 a of each standing rail 8 is engaged with a cross rail 6 in a hook shape and lower end 8 b of each standing rail 8 fits into one of holes 1 p formed in base portion 1. Further, it will be evident that the number of standing rails 8 used may be determined as appropriate.

FIG. 11 is a view showing a state in which refuse repository bag 20 is accommodated within container A. Refuse repository bag 20 is accommodated so as to form a regular hexahedron similarly to container A. Hanging handle portion 21 is provided and, in this example, cover 22 is also provided. An engagement piece 10 a attached to the loose end of each band 10, which are attached to hooks 7 (and may be elasticized), is inserted into each hole (eyelet) 23 provided in cover 22 of refuse repository bag 20, whereby refuse repository bag 20 is fastened to container A.

A refuse repository bag 20 that has been filled with refuse is removed from container A by releasing engagement pieces 10 a from engagement with holes (eyelets) 23, covering the opening with cover 22, holding the bag 20 at hanging handle portion 21 and raising it with a crane, and is loaded onto a vehicle or the like.

The container of the present invention is as described above and is for use with a refuse repository bag set inside of the container and, when not in use, is such that it can be stacked and stored extremely compactly, having a superior configuration that requires very little space for storage. Accordingly, since it can be used widely for collection of industrial waste and refuse and the like from factories and offices, it has significant industrial value. 

1. A ready-to-assemble container, comprising: a substantially square base portion; support portions provided at each of four corners of a top surface of the base portion; fitting portions provided at a reverse surface of the base portion, which can be fitted with upper ends of support portions of another ready-to-assemble container; a plurality of traveling wheels provided at the reverse surface of the base portion; vertical support rods detachably fitted to the support portions; and cross rails each having respective ends thereof detachably fitted to apices of adjacent vertical support rods and spanning the apices, wherein a refuse repository bag can be accommodated in a region defined by the base portion, the vertical support rods and the cross rails.
 2. The ready-to-assemble container of claim 1, wherein the vertical length of the fitting portions is shorter than the height of the traveling wheels.
 3. The ready-to-assemble container of claim 1, wherein the vertical support rods are provided with hooks that prevent bulging of the refuse repository bag.
 4. The ready-to-assemble container of claim 1, wherein vertical rails that prevent bulging of the refuse repository bag are provided between the cross rails and the base portion.
 5. The ready-to-assemble container of claim 1, wherein the vertical support rods are provided with hangers and bands.
 6. The ready-to-assemble container of claim 1, wherein, when fitting portions of another ready-to-assemble container are fitted with the support portions and the containers are stacked, the gap between base portions of the two stacked containers is larger than the height of traveling wheels positioned therebetween. 